//------------------------------// // Chapter 17: Another Adventure (Revised) // Story: A Forgotten Trooper // by TheIronPone035 //------------------------------// "COVER FIRE!" Strider shouted as he unloaded a round of plasma bolts at the advancing droids. Matt quickly switched targets, firing at the approaching droid force. "Where did they all come from!?" Cosmo, who was currently reloading his DC-15S was the only one to answer. "Droid transportation pods, caught us off guard just like that Separatist cruiser!" Rust dodged a red bolt and fired at a closing in Super Battle Droid, blasting it to the ground. "Doesn't matter where they came from, we've got to keep them at bay!" "Easier said than done!" Trigger stated as he spotted another set of Super Battle Droids approach their position. The group of clones were currently fending off an army of B2s in the main hanger. Most of the other clones had set up other spots to hold the line, but only a few were still in the hanger. One clone who firing next to Strider got up from their cover and unloaded the full power pack from their blaster at the approaching battalion of droids. A B2 quickly ended the clone's assault, shooting the clone square in the chest. Strider quickly shot down the droid with his DC-15A, but another replaced it instantly. "Take cover by those crates!" Rust ordered, diving behind a crate. Strider abandoned his position and rushed over to a crate. He took cover behind in and began firing again. However, when he looked over his cover, he spotted Cosmo who was holding off a group of B2s in an abandoned gunship. He destroyed the front two, but one had gone around and shot him in the back. The trooper fell to the ground instantly, his blaster tumbling out of his hand. "COSMO!" Strider shouted, but the trooper didn't move. He quickly resumed firing at the approaching droids. But he already knew deep in his mind that this fight was already lost. But he also knew that his brothers and himself would not go down without a fight. With determination flowing through his veins, Strider shot into the group of B2s, sending as many as he could to the scrap yard. Strider's eyes shot open as the memory flooded through his mind, his breaths coming out erratically. He could still faintly hear his brothers being gunned down as the remnants of his dream faded. Still, with each blaster fire, he could mentally picture another trooper falling. "Blasted clankers, hopefully the rest of the crew was able to get off the---" Strider trailed off as he spotted a thick black wave of smoke float through the sky, encasing any clouds it touched into darkness. "What in the world is making that?" Strider muttered under his breath as he looked upwards at the coal black smog. The trooper went over to a crate and fished out a pair of macro binoculars, flipping them on before aiming them up at the smoke trail. He followed the trail to what seemed to be the source, which was from a cave on top of a rather tall mountain. Strider lowered the macro binoculars, looking at the mountain normally now. It was much taller than the mountains surrounding it, almost breaking the cloud level. "Strange, wonder what's up there." Strider said to himself, staring at the mountain. A rather large bang from behind made Strider turn around towards Fluttershy's cottage. Standing before the front door was Fluttershy, but something was rather strange about her. She was wearing several inflated objects on her hooves, a blue helmet, and what looked like a red vest. She was also slightly trembling in place. Strider went over to the shaky pegasus, confused as to what she was wearing and why she was wearing it. "Uh, Fluttershy? What is all that?" Strider asked, looking at the makeshift suit. "I-It's armor for the journey t-to the m-mountain." Fluttershy claimed. Strider had to take a few seconds to register what the mare had just said. Once he had, it still rocked a little around his brain. "Armor, that's supposed to be armor?" Strider questioned. Fluttershy nodded, looking at her makeshift protection. "That's not gonna protect you from a pebble. If anything, it's just gonna slow you down." Strider stated. "O-Oh," Fluttershy mumbled. "Also, why are you gonna go up to that mountain?" Strider asked. "W-Well T-Twilight wants us t-to g-go a-and," Strider put a finger over her muzzle, silencing her. "Twilight wants to figure out what's causing that smoke?" He finished. Fluttershy nodded. "Well then, that armor ain't gonna do anything but make it harder to climb." Strider exclaimed. Fluttershy said something that might have been an ok, but Strider couldn't hear it due to her basically whispering it. Then, she went back into the cottage. After a few minutes, Fluttershy came out with the 'armor' removed. However, her testimony had caused him to start wondering. Strider was curious about what was causing that smoke, and if Fluttershy was going to go, then he might as well. Not to mention the fact that Fluttershy seemed to be scared stiff about going. "Tell you what, i'll come with you up the mountain." Strider stated. "N-No, you h-have y-your ship to w-work on. I shouldn't take away your time." Fluttershy exclaimed. "The ship isn't going anywhere, besides, i'm interested in what's causing that smoke." Strider insisted. "O-Oh, the smoke i-is b-being caused by a-a, d-dragon." Fluttershy stammered. Strider's eyes widened at that statement. Dragons were a rare thing to come by ever since the Great Hyperspace wars. He had also heard stories about Krayt Dragons from a few of his brothers, but he hadn't seen one in the flesh, or scales. "B-But, if you want to." Fluttershy said quietly. "Yes, I still do. I just need to grab some supplies for dragon hunting." Strider said bluntly. Fluttershy's eyes widened at the word hunting. "N-No! Even if it is a d-dragon, it s-shouldn't be hurt because of something it naturally does." She insisted. Strider wanted to argue, but instead just sighed under his helmet. He had forgotten for a second the fact that this planet has almost zero violence that he knows of. "I'm at least bringing a blaster." Strider muttered. Strider and Fluttershy walked through town towards a massive tree, also known as the Golden Oaks Library apparently. The two quickly spotted the rest of the group standing out in the front of the library with saddlebags on. Well, except Rainbow Dash. It didn't take long before the group noticed him and exchanged confused looks at Strider. "Strider, what are you doing here?" Twilight asked. "I've been told that a dragon is the cause of all that smoke. I'd like to follow you up there and make sure that you don't end up getting burned up by that--" Strider cut himself off as he noticed Fluttershy trembling rapidly. "and i'll shut up about that." Twilight looked over to her friends, who returned her confused gaze, then back to Strider. "Ok, you can follow if you want." Twilight proclaimed. Strider soon found himself once again marching with the six ponies, only now he wasn't in the middle of a forest which was full of deadly predators. After a few minutes of walking, the group found themselves at the base of the mountain. A very steep mountain. "Uh, how are we supposed to get to the top?" Strider questioned, not spotting any path or loose edges. "We climb." Twilight stated bluntly. "The surface of the mountain is way to smooth and steep to---" Strider trailed off as he watched Applejack climb up a little bit of smooth rock effortlessly. Applejack was then followed by Pinkie Pie, then Rarity, then Twilight. "climb..." Strider finished, before mentally slapping himself in the face. These creatures were ponies. Ponies have hooves. Hooves can go up steeper slopes and inclines then human feet. Strider was about to fire a cable for him to climb up with, but remembered that the cable had been sliced by Gilda. Strider looked around the surface of the area for any nooks or crannies for him to climb on. He spotted a chunk of rock sticking out and grabbed it. He used the rock to pull himself up and to a crack, which he used to pull himself up again. For the ponies next to him, this would be a piece of cake, but for Strider, it was like back on Kamino at the training wall. The only difference was that there were no practice droids shooting at him, so he soon ended up side by side with the group once again. However, when he went to reach for another ledge, he quickly ran into a problem. The DC-15S he was carrying was badly restricting his climbing. He looked over to see Rainbow Dash, who was using her wings to fly while her empty hooves were crossed. A small part of him wanted to hand the blaster over to Rainbow Dash, with the safety on and the power pack removed obviously. But he also knew to never let his weapon out of his sight again. So instead, he slung the blaster into the makeshift holster he had made, freeing up his other hand. However, before he could start climbing again, he noticed that Twilight had stopped and was looking around. It was then that he took notice of an absent Fluttershy. The group looked down to see the pegasus hiding in a bush at the base of the mountain. "Fluttershy? Come on, we have to get moving!" Twilight exclaimed. "I-I know, b-but that cliff is so, steep." Fluttershy stated. Rainbow Dash sighed. "It's a cliff, it's supposed to be steep. Just use your wings." "O-Ok." Fluttershy mumbled, stepping out of the bush. Fluttershy outstretched her wings and tried to fly up, but a loud snore from the dragon above, caused her to freeze up. Her wings folded in on themselves, causing Fluttershy to fall back into the bush. "You alright?" Strider questioned, letting himself slide down the mountain and land back on the ground. Fluttershy poked her head out from the bush and took a look around, before ducking back into the bush as the dragon snored again. "Fluttershy?" Strider called out, leaning over the bush. The pegasus was nowhere to be seen from where he was looking in the bush. Strider put a hand on his helmet, thinking to himself. An idea quickly popped into his head and he leaned down next to the bush. "I've got an idea, you can just ride on my back until we find a path on the mountain." Strider exclaimed. Fluttershy poked her head out of the bush again, looking right at Strider's helmet. "Y-You would do that?" Fluttershy asked. Strider nodded. With that, she got out of the bush and looked up at the mountain. As gently as she could, Fluttershy got onto his back, wrapping her forehooves around the troopers neck. Just as Strider assumed, Fluttershy didn't weigh as much as he thought. He could still climb, but it wouldn't be as easy as before. The trooper went back to the side of the cliff and began climbing once again.